Changing climatic, weather and building patterns in the United States and around the world have placed many homes and commercial properties in closer proximity to flood and wildfire events (https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-californians-were-drawn-toward-the-fire-zones-1544202053?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1). In California alone more than 1 million housing units are at high or very high risk for fire (Jonathan Cooper, AP SDUT C2 Jan. 5, 2018). The increased frequency with which wildfires occur, longer annual fire seasons, a resultant thinning of community fire-fighting resources and official advice to both create “defensible spaces” and “shelter in place” intensifies the need for self-reliance in the event of such emergencies.
Recent news footage from Northern and Southern California wildfires feature desperate homeowners using garden hoses to protect their properties. Such low-pressure solutions offer limited potential for defense. Moreover, such close-in tactics place amateur responders in intimate range of danger. Rapid fire spread and possible terrain access limitations (smoke, flooding, landslides, power outages, tree or rock falls) might delay or prevent professional or volunteer emergency personnel access to particular home sites or businesses.
While a number of personal portable diesel and gas fueled fire pumps are available for fire suppression and prevention, the nature of their fuel source makes them difficult to use and maintain in a fire situation. Gas and diesel-fueled fire pumps are inherently limited by the size of their fuel tanks, the need to store and access flammable liquids near fire events and the complications associated with water pump priming. Furthermore, starting and regulating an internal combustion engine is a relatively complex process during time-critical events. Patents and products for electrically powered systems are for decidedly industrial or large-scale commercial applications and are of limited portability.
Further, some homeowners, offices and industries find themselves facing multiple emergency situations simultaneously, in succession or episodically; needing to counter flooding, fire, loss of electrical power and/or loss of area water pressure.